A/N: I really liked how this one turned out :P Butterflies... I can't wait until they show up -I think that's the real beginning of Spring XD

Well, I hope you enjoy~~!

Of Butterflies

Walking with him, beside him, holding his hand, was the most natural thing in the world these days. I could close my eyes and trust him not to guide me into poles and signs along the streets, or into trees and off cliffs in the forest. I trusted him that if he led me into trouble, he would surely get me out it. I could count on him to surprise me, with words and underestimated intelligence. And I loved him.

But walking with a blindfold on just wasn't really how I liked to do things. I was a navigator. It's what I did. I navigated.

It was hard to navigate with a blindfold.

Looking back, I wondered why I had let him put the blindfold on me. He had asked, so I could have said no. Maybe it was that pleading look in his eye. Or maybe it was the way he said it. He wanted to show me something. He said I would like it. And maybe I would.

But right now I just wanted to know where we were going.

Was anyone following us? I couldn't tell. Usually Usopp and Franky are up for a good challenge of trying to keep up with Luffy and I, just to see what kind of "lovey-dovey" things we'd be up to. Sometimes it surprised me how immature they could be. Well not really, but Luffy and I had been in a relationship for a couple of months now. They had to get over themselves.

I should start charging them for watching every kiss we exchanged.

I think Luffy would laugh.

Luffy.

Where was he taking me?

My sandal caught on a rock and I tripped.

"Whoa~!" Luffy said, catching me before I fell. "Sorry –I guess I wasn't paying attention. Watch your step, Nami."

"Mm," I said, taking a deep breath. All I could smell was Luffy. Today he smelled like dirt, straw and pine –though that last one could have been due to the fact that we'd entered the forest. Or, at least, I thought it was the forest. The light that came through the blindfold had decreased drastically. I felt like I was walking through the abyss of a black hole.

"We're almost there," He told me.

"I trust you," I said, squeezing his hand gently.

"Shishishi –whoa~! Sorry, Nami, I almost made you hit a tree!" Luffy laughed.

"Well, I kind of trust you," I muttered, turning my face to the sky to see if I could see under the bottom edge of the fabric. No luck.

"I guess I should watch where we're going instead of you," He said, swinging our hands back and forth merrily.

"We better not be lost."

"I know exactly where I'm taking you."

I raised an eyebrow, but I doubted he saw it over the blindfold.

"I think."

Well, that was reassuring.

"If you get lost, I'm charging you for making me have to find our way out," I told him.

"I think it'd be funner to stay lost with you."

I wish I could have seen his face when he said that.

"More fun," I corrected.

"We're almost there," He repeated, ignoring my last comment.

"You've been saying that for the last ten minutes," I complained.

"This time I mean it."

I sighed, getting a little nervous. What did he want to show me?

Was it just me, or was it getting even darker?

"Okay," Luffy said quietly. He released my hand, standing in front of me and lifting his hands to behind my head so that he could untie the blindfold. I kept my eyes closed until he had taken his hands away. I opened my eyes and looked up into his. He smiled, kissing me gently before saying, "I think you'll love this."

"Love wha–?"

He placed his fingers over my lips, then brought his index finger to his own, shushing me to silence. He placed his hand on a leaf and pulled it back, ushering me through. It was so dark and secluded… was Luffy trying to gain us dark privacy? Was he trying to seduce me? Well, I mean, the shushing, the blindfolding –what awaited us in that darkness?

"Nami?" He asked quietly.

"Sorry," I murmured, going through the opening he had created. He followed behind me immediately, his hands going to my waist to stop me when he thought we'd gone far enough. Light filtered through dark foliage high above us, giving us little light.

"Let your eyes adjust," His lips were close to my ear. I shivered before closing my eyes and opening them slowly, focusing on one spot until I could see multiple colours lining the branches around us.

"Are those flowers?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper –it just didn't seem right to speak any louder.

"No," He mumbled.

"What are they?" I looked back at him.

"You want to see?" A small and devious grin played across his lips. Now I was scared to know. But before I could say anything, Luffy crouched down and picked up a branch, then tossed it gently into one of the bushes.

I held my breath as butterflies took flight. They fluttered, heading up towards the light. It was like a chain reaction, or a curtain rising. It started in the place where the stick had fallen, and then going in both directions, the rest of the butterflies broke away from the leaves and flowers, until the two chains met on the other side of the small, dark clearing.

"They're so pretty," I said, watching as a butterfly fly right in front of me. They were so colourful –though it was only really seen when the sunlight touched their wings. It was amazing.

I was left in awe until they had long disappeared.

"So?" He asked, turning me towards him.

"So?" I repeated after him, grinning.

He laughed, "Shishishi. What are you thinking?"

I rested my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arms around him, closing my eyes, and smiling.

"I'm thinking that even after all this time, you still give me butterflies."